Showing posts with label John Frieda. Show all posts
Showing posts with label John Frieda. Show all posts

New in #31


MAX FACTOR Creme Puff Blush
20 Lavish Mauve
I had major doubts these will ever reach Slovenia, but they did. The price is higher than I expected and they really "spoiled" us with the selection of four shades, but at least they decided to include the one I had my eye on from the start. Lavish Mauve was the least shimmery and coolest out of the four. I thought it's similar to Catrice's Nuts About You, but when I swatched them side by side, they revealed to be very different, as Lavish Mauve is a much cooler, pink-mauve-violet shade with tiny duo chrome violet-gold shimmer, which I can't see on the cheeks. It's soft and decently pigmented, but I don't get that famous "glow" on my cheeks with this one, just a classic flush. You'll see how it looks in my review, but if you want to see it sooner, since I need to take pictures of Lovely Pink before, I can put a quick picture on Instagram.
Müller, 12.79 €

*05 Lovely Pink
Just today Max Factor surprised me by sending me another shade completely out of the blue. Lovely Pink was the second shade on my list and I remember from the swatches I made in the shop that this one was one of the more glowy ones. It is indeed more glowy on the cheek as Lavish Mauve, though I just got it today and I spent two hours in a hot car before trying it, but I could see that small shimmer reflecting on my cheek. It's a warm pink shade and the shimmer is gold.

*MAX FACTOR Colour Intensifying Balm
30 Redefined Rose
Another new release by MF and the other part of my surprise package. It is, as described, an intense lip balm, well in terms of colour that is, and it features a nice moisturising formula. Redefined Rose looks absolutely gorgeous in the packaging, but the colour on my lips surprised me, as it's lighter and a bit cooler pink than I expected - it actually reminds me of how Creme Cup looks on my lips, but I'm sure it's my neutral skin tone that gives it that hue as it looks much warmer of other people's swatches. The pigmentation is better than expected and it's semi opaque with one or two coats, but it can be built-up to pretty much full opacity. I have no doubts this colour will be universally loved.


CATRICE Longlasting Lip Pencil
030 Berryson Ford
I saw this lip liner on Sara's blog and it was this shade from that post that appealed to me most. It's a deep berry-burgundy colour that reminds me of shades like L'Oreal's Laetitia, Bourjois Grand Cru and Catrice's lip liner in Love the Way you Plum. This shade is like a mix of all three I mentioned, so it's a very autumnal/winter colour.
Müller, 2.29 €

ESSENCE Longlasting Lipliner 
05 Lovely Frappuccino
Everyone is going gaga for this liner and Nadja even found it being very similar to the very coveted Soar lip liner. I have been avoiding it for a long time because I'm not a fan of Essence lip liners and my experience with the Satin Mauve liner wasn't the best, but of course I caved mostly because Sara said I should just get it already. Thank you! I think I really like it. I'm still a bit on the edge, but my mom liked it straight away on me and asked me if she can try it as well, however, some don't like this colour on me as it's supposedly too dark. It has been growing on me more and more, and I ended up wearing it loads. It's warmer than Satin Mauve, a tiny bit more red, but still cool enough and it actually looks like Soar and Brave do on most girls I've seen. Highly recommend this to any pale girl who can't find a match for her in the 90's trend revival. I already posted a picture of it on my lips here and it's also on my lips in the got2b photo bellow. 
Müller, 1.59€

ESSENCE Lipliner
15 Honey Berry
So basically I'm an idiot. I was going to get 05 Soft Berry after seeing it on Sara, but was too lazy to write the name on the phone, so I thought this was it. Anyway, it's wasn't a complete miss and it is a colour I don't have yet. On me it's a purple that is a bit similar to Yummy Berry, but a bit darker and cooler. 
I did check Soft Berry later, but I put it back on the stand because it looks so intimidatingly dark brown. 
Müller, 1.19€


*MAKEUP REVOLUTION Iconic Pro Lipstick
Propoganda
MR came out with another line of lipstick and I've seen all sorts of very appealing swatches on the internet, with pretty much everyone praising these. The first few applications negatively surprised me because they were so sheer, but thankfully when the top layer is gone, it reveals a very pigmented, creamy lipstick. The shade is a deep red that looks very glam also due to the shine, however, I would prefer it in a matte finish and it actually exists under a name Propoganda Matte. It's a very comfortable lipstick to wear and I like the rose gold part of the packaging, as it makes it very chic. I don't get the name though. Is it deliberately misspelled?
Do konca junija dobite na slovenski spletni strani Makeup Revolution s kodo BLOG17 17 % popusta.


ESSENCE Cinderella TE Blush
01 So this is Love
I managed to get a hold of one of the last ones of these before they completely disappear (I'm not sure when it was released in other countries though). I got it for just 1 €! What a bargain. Originally I wasn't interested in this blush much, but then I saw it's supposed to be a dupe for Mac's Hippness LE blush, which I wanted a lot time ago. It's a pink with a touch of coral, though on the cheeks it looks just pink. There is some gold shimmer in it as well, but it's not visible on the skin. It's not as pigmented as I expected from the intensity in the pan, so it's one you apply gradually. Cute little thing.
E.Leclerc, 0.99 €

Catrice Longlasting Lip Liner in I got you Babel on the lips. 


*REVLON Ultra HD Lipstick
Rose
Revlon came out with a new line of lipsticks, all adorably named after flowers and I got the shade Rose, which is a natural light pink shade. These aren't that far from their Lip Butters, except they are even softer and more pigmented. The lipstick feels very balmy on the lips and not at all drying even when the hours pass. It has a shiny finish and doesn't tend to last well, but that's expected due to the texture and also the shade. It has a very strong scent of ice cream (exactly like Planica), which obviously appeals to the sweet tooth side of me. You have to open the lid sooo carefully because the lipstick is very soft and it dents easily. I've been wearing this quite a lot since I got it because it's such a non-brainer shade and it's a nice replacement for a lip balm. 
I'm wearing it here.
Click2Chic, 10.89 €

*REVLON Colorstay Gel Envy
400 Royal Flush
Of course I chose a warm purple-pink shade, what else. This one also has a tiny bit of violet shimmer/frost inside that gives it that cool toned hue. I already review this shade here and I've never tried a more perfect one coater. I'm also wearing it in the picture with the Essence blush above.
Click2Chic, 8.49 €


CATRICE Luxury Lacquers Liquid Metal Nail Polish
01 Champagne Rain
Müller had 20 % off all nail polishes and it would be rude not to take advantage. Champagne Rain is a champagne gold shimmer that ends up looking completely opaque on the nails. It looks so glamorous, though I'm already dreading the removal process.
Müller, 3.79 €


L'OREAL Color Riche Nail Polish
205 Rose Bagatelle
L'Oreal's nail polishes appealed to me recently and I picked up this deep rosy nude shade. It's about a shade or two darker than Deborah 01 as well as a bit warmer. I needed two or three coats for full opacity as the formula is thin, especially compared to the new age gel formula nail polishes.
Müller, 4.99 €


*BORN PRETTY 10 Pairs of Eyelashes #HS-43
Born pretty has a ton of eyelashes to choose from and I decided on a pack of 10 that look similar to my favourite Ardell's Demi Wispies. When they arrived I noticed, they are in fact not that similar. They are shorter for about a third and more crisscrossed. I was afraid that they might be too short for me, and they are in the inner part of the eye, however, they are really long in the outer corners and give the eye that fluttery, elongated effect. I find these make my eyes look so much bigger. They are very pretty and fluttery lashes, though I do feel them a bit on the eyes and they are very difficult to get out of the box without ruining them.
I'm wearing them here.
Born Pretty, 3.99 $

*BORN PRETTY The Hot Shop Lipstick
#1
So this is blatantly copying Top Shop's lipsticks, but I'll withhold my judgement about that. I got shade number one, which looks very different from what I imagined based on the swatches. It looks completely orange in the tube, but it's one of those shades that looks peachy on the lips and is pinker the darker your skin is. On me it's still quite an orange-ish shade, but I imagine it would look amazing medium skin tones. It's a very moisturising and soft lipstick with a glossy finish, but not as soft as Revlon's one and it will definitely appeal to all of those who like more moisturising lipsticks. 


L'OREAL Gentle Eyes and Lips Make-up Remover
A lot of people swear by this remover, especially for waterproof mascara. I was using the Maybelline version a while ago and it was the best drugstore remover I've tried to date (best ever is Clarins' one). This is the same kind - a dual phase remover that needs to be shaken so that both liquids mix. I like how it stays mixed for a long time, because most cheap removers separate after a few seconds. As far as removal goes, it's similar to the Maybelline one, but perhaps not quite as effective or it's about the same and Maybelline's is cheaper. I'd say the only difference worthy of mentioning is that L'Oreal's version stays mixed longer. As far as drugstore waterproof makeup removers go, this is a nice one. 
Interspar, 4.99 €


BALEA Luxury Verwöhnmomente Badesaltz
Red Love
Luxury Pampering Moments Bath Salt Red Love
This smells so amazing. If you're familiar with Balea's Kokos & Nectarine shower gel, this is similar, except that it's a warmer and deeper scent. It's just a classic bath salt, so there aren't any bubbles, but it turns the water into this intense shade of red-pink. I love it and I will repurchase it, even though I hoped the scent will be stronger in the bath.
DM, 0.79 €
There is a whole new collection called Luxury, with a shower gel and another bath in this scent, and the same three items plus a hand cream and scrub in the Vanilla & Patchouli scent. So far I've only seen the bath salts and hand cream here.

PRINZESSIN STERNENZAUBER Märchenhaftes 2 in 1 Shampoo + Spülung
2 in 1 Shampoo and Conditioner
As I said in one of my previous posts, I can't walk past a product with a peach/nectarine scent. I found this quite randomly whilst exploring DM for new or interesting things. It again smells much like the discontinued Kokos & Nectarine scent, though it is a bit of a different candy peach scent. I got it to use as a shower gel, but I did use it as a shampoo once. It's a shampoo plus conditioner in one, but though it foams well, my hair didn't feel particularly nourished (also not terribly stripped) and my hair was quite tangly after using it, which didn't surprise me because it's a silicone free product. I didn't feel it cleaned all that well though, at least as far as the scalp is concerned, but it should be fine for children who don't use styling products anyway. 
DM, 1.79 €


GOT2B  Rise'n Shine Soufflé
Hoch Karäter Volumen + Glaz Soufflé
I watched this video from Luxy hair and saw that this is how my hair looks on the second and third day. She used a hair wax at the end and though I used to use such a product way, way back to tame my frizz, it never occurred to me to use to for curls as well. I had no idea which one to pick in the shop because no one talks about hair waxes that I know off, so I grabbed this one from Got2B because it promises a soufflé texture and it had a nice discount. It is exactly like a soufflé and you can feel the bubbles popping under your fingers. Consequently, it's s lot lighter than a regular wax, however, it still has that waxy feel and I wouldn't use this on thin hair that gets greasy fast. It does define the curls a bit, keeps them in place, perhaps even better than a hair spray and doesn't feel terribly heavy or greasy on my hair. I'm happy with it.
This is meant as a volumising product, but I see no scenario where this could be used for volume. Waxes aren't for volume, but for definition. For volume I'd get a texturizing spray.
Müller, 4 €



AUSSIE 3 Minute Miracle Reconstructor
A traditional repurchase. I opted to try out new cheaper drugstore conditioners and masks instead of buying this again purely because of the price. Well, I ended up with three rubbish conditioners and an emptier wallet. Nice one, Mateja. So this one finally had a decent discount and I just grabbed it, now I'm thinking I should have taken two. This is one of my favourite drugstore treatments as it actually works well on my hair, it nourishes, makes it feel sleeker and smells amazing like bubble gums. But why it has to cost almost three times as much as in the USA is beyond me.
Müller, regular price 7.99 €


JOHN FRIEDA Beach Blonde Ocean-Waves
I've never owned a proper salt spray before, I did try to make it myself, but I didn't like it. I heard about this one from Alix (I Covet Three) and I had little hope this will arrive here as well, but it did. Mind you it's only in certain Müllers, but at least they didn't forget us completely again. As Alix said it smells like summer, so it has this beachy, coconut-salty scent and that was one of the main reasons I bought it. It doesn't make the hair super crunchy, though it does leave that salt water feeling on the hair and it made decent enough beachy waves, however, real salt water does it way better. I've only used it once, so I need more play time with it.
Müller, 8.39 €

KNEIPP Badekristale Immer cool bleiben 
Stay Cool Bath Crystals
It was 30°C outside when I was shopping in Müller plus I've just been through an hour long drive and this caught my attention because it's so cute with the penguin chilling with the cocktail. Normally I don't associate baths with cooling down, however, this one contains mint and menthol, so I'm interested in how this works out. 
Müller, 1.29€


Shell and Starfish Soaps
I got these mainly as decoration. I've actually had these before also in a shape of a seahorse as these look so posh in the bathroom. The scent of these is so intense, it's just a classic clean scent and I love it.
Müller, 0.30 € per piece 


*YUMMY Rhubarb and Orange Shower Gel
This smells soo good! Yummy came out with three summer and cocktails inspired scents of their shower gels: Cranberry & Lime (brusnica in limeta), Elder & Mint (bezeg in meta) and Rhubarb & Orange (rabarbara in pomaranča). Mine smells so tropically-fruity sweet, but a tiny bit bitter, which makes it so fresh - I love it. Mom says it smells like Radenska ACE Tropik and I say it smells like Bibita (discontinued blue label one). Otherwise it's just a regular shower gel, which is luckily not as runny as the original ones, but as far as any skin care benefits go, there are none, but the scent is all that matter to me anyway.
Click2Chic, 5,95 € (500 ml)


Belles Saisons Eau De Cologne Lavande
I already spoke about this in my May favourites and I've been spraying this like crazy for weeks now. I discovered this whilst exploring E.Leclerc's beauty section (again. I love it because they have things that you can't get anywhere else in Slovenia) and I was buying spare razors in the men's section when this caught my eye and once I saw the price, I just shoved it in my shopping basket. I love the vintage feel of the glass bottle, it looks better in person and it's glass, so I keep it on display in my room, right next to L'Occitane's stuff. The scent is proper a lavender and even though it's a eau de cologne, when I spray a lot of it, it doesn't disappear in seconds .
E.Leclerc, 1.51 € (250 ml)

Anything you'd like to see a review or an Instagram picture of first? 

* - Products are PR samples.
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Drugstore Recommendations for Dry Hair


PRE-WASH TREATMENTS

Coconut Oil
If your hair is really dry or at least your ends desperately need some extra care, oils are your best bet. Particularly coconut oil has proven to be excellent for hair because it's the only one that has the ability to penetrate into the cortex and also helps prevent protein loss. You simply apply it on dry hair before washing and leave it on as long you like, but the longer the better and leaving it overnight yields best results. Then you simply wash it off (you'll notice how much sleeker your hair is when rinsing off the shampoo) and continue with conditioner as well as the rest of the care. You can also heat the oil first in the microwave or use a hair dryer to warm it up as warm oil performs even better. People often ask me if putting a lot of oil on their hair will make it greasy - you'll wash it off. Unless you have a rubbish shampoo, all the oil simply washes off by shampooing twice. Coconut oil is sold in any bigger grocery store and drugstores (it's usually where the healthy food is), but beware of varying prices as I've seen some insane price tags and if you're paying over 10 €, it's too much.
Read more about coconut oil here on this genius blog, The Natural Haven Bloom, here and here. 

I found this quite randomly in E.Leclerc and though we have this brand just about everywhere here, for some reason I could only find this oil there. I think it's even better than coconut oil and it's my ultimate "über dry hair fixer". They decided to fit the bottle with a spray applicator, which was a bad move, since the oil is too thick and there is no way it could spray it into a mist, but you just spray it in the hands and apply it like that. I'm always very generous when applying it and I use it all over the hair since my entire length is dry, but you can easily just apply it on the ends if that is your only problematic area. I tend to leave it on overnight or all day if I'm at home and put my hair in a tight bun, then wash my hair in the morning or evening and let me tell you this oil has fantastic results. It deeply hydrates and nourishes the hair like nothing I've tried. My hair feels like it's transformed. But it doesn't work on dry hair after washing if you plan to use it as a leave-in as it is very greasy and heavy. 
E. Leclerc, 5-6 €

Other recommendations:
Macadamia Oil
Argan Oil
Jojoba Oil
Olive Oil

SHAMPOOS

I have tried many, many shampoos in my life, a large majority of them were from the drugstore and these two from L'Oreal win hands down. Performance-wise they are both about the same with the main difference being the scent. Extraordinary oil one has an oriental cinnamon-ish scent, while Glatt-Intense has a typical clean scent. The latter seems to have disappeared from our shelves, perhaps in order to be replaced by Extraordinary oil, but regardless, as I said they are so similar. The formula reminds me a lot of the much more expensive and utterly brilliant Oleo-Relax, so it's like a bit of conditioner was added to the shampoo, but it doesn't weight the hair down, just smooths it a bit. When I'm rinsing it off, there is none of that annoying squeaky clean, dry, my-hair-I'll-be-a-tangly-mess feeling and the hair can be combed a lot easier than at a lot of other shampoos. Best of all, these are on offer very often and you can get 400 ml at a bargain price of a few euros just about everywhere.

Other recommendations:

CONDITIONERS, MASKS AND TREATMENTS

Just as shampoos, I've tried my fair share of drugstore conditioners and though a large majority were disappointing (I just tried three new ones last month and all did not perform satisfactory), there are a few drugstore gems that I've been loyal to for years. They of course don't work as well as salon brands, especially when it comes to dry hair (I would suggest you still invest in one high-end one if your hair is really dry), but they still do their work admirably. Brilliant Brunette has been in my conditioners stash for so many years and when one runs out, a new one promptly takes its place. It feels quite light, yet it is moisturising enough for my dry hair and it leaves the hair feeling silky when I rinse it off, but there are two other things that it excels at and that is shine and scent. The scent is divine, it's like a mix of coconut and caramel in a more sophisticated way and this is the only conditioner/mask after which my hair smells nice for at least a day if not longer. I currently own a salon size 500 ml bottle, which comes with a very handy pump, while the regular sizes comes in a squeeze tube.
Price: 8.49 € for 250 ml in Müller and DM.

Things were shaky the first few weeks when I got my first Aussie Reconstructor, but it turned out to be one of my ultimate favourites. It's one of the rare conditioners that I consider being almost as good as some more expensive ones because the effects last a day or two longer on my hair, in particular when it comes to how long my hair stays moisturised. It has a gel-cream hybrid texture that is easy to apply on the hair and it smells just like Hubba-Bubba fruit fantasy bubble gum tape. I leave it on for longer than 3 minutes, usually about 20 minutes, but you can just leave for as long as you want to. It finally became available in Slovenia (can I get a hallelujah for that?), though it is quite pricey compared to the USA. 
Price: 8 € in Müller.

Elvital Total Repair 5 Intensiv Maske mit Reparatűr Serum 
Elvive Full Restore 5
This caught my eye when I saw it on Allure's list of best drugstore treatments, though it's has several different names and packaging, but I think mine is the right one. This is my first pot and though I liked it straight away, I'm more and more impressed by it with every use. Compared to most masks available on our market, this one performs really well on dry hair, it nourishes it and just does all the basic things I expect from a hair mask. The pudding-jelly cream consistency reminds me of Kérastase Nutritive Masquintense Epais-Thick, thought L'Oreal's version of course isn't as impressive as the Kérastase's, but it's certainly lovely for the price. I also tried the newest Extraordinary Oil version and it performs badly compared to this one, so I actually much prefer the combination of Extraordinary shampoo with Total Repair 5 mask. There is also another version of Total Repair in a violet packaging, but I haven't tried it yet. 
Müller, 6.39 €. I've seen only the violet version in DM.

Other recommendations:

HEAT PROTECTION

L'OREAL Studio Line Hot & Smooth Hot Straight Cream
Studio Line Hot&Glatt Thermo-Glättungs-Balm
I will be completely honest at this category and say that none of the drugstore heat protectors blew me away, also a lot of them contain alcohol, which is completely unnecessary for dry hair. However, I have been using L'Oreal's Studio Line Hot & Smooth (previously Silk & Gloss) for at least ten years, first on my hair and now on others. There are a few versions of heat protectors in this line - I have two, the lotion version and the aerosol one. I wouldn't recommend the latter for dry hair because it contains alcohol and it does feel a bit drying on the hair, however, the lotion is another story. It's a very basic, light heat protection that doesn't weight down the hair and does its job of protecting from heat. My bottle is very old and it has been repackaged, so I put the newest aerosol version next to it, which comes in the new design.
About 5 € in Műller.

Possibly interesting alternatives that I haven't tried yet, but heard good things about:

LEAVE-INS

I have exactly the same opinion about silicone oils as about heat protections - there aren't many that are actually good or comparable to salon brands ones. Yes, essentially they are all just good-old silicone serums with some oils. Big deal, right? However, most drugstore ones again have alcohol in it or even if they have nice ingredients, they don't work as well, mostly because they are too light (like for example the Garnier Fructis one). And since they are so light, dry hair just drinks them up in minutes and then it's like you didn't use anything, so you end up using so much oil for any effect. But Petra showed me one exception and it's brilliant. You can tell from the bottle, I've been loving this for the past months. The texture is comparable to salon brands "oils" in a sense that's it's thick, but it's not as thick as Orofluido or Macadamia Natural Oil's one, still it's much better than most drugstore oils. I don't tend to use it on damp hair, but rather after blow-drying to tame the frizz, give the hair a bit of nourishment and shine. It smells nice as well and the scent is like a mix of their "regular" green serum, which smells a bit like apples but in a hair salon way, plus some deep oriental note. I'm also a big fan of the pump, but I do mind that there is only 30 ml of it in the bottle because when you compare the prices per ml, Orofluido is not that more expensive if you know where to get the lowest price.
Avon, regular price 6.90€, but it's often on offer.


Öl-La-La Styling Öl-Spray 
This is basically just a very light silicone-oil in an aerosol form, which is wonderful for dry hair that needs a bit of a boots and even for those who find most liquid silicone-oils too heavy for their hair. It gives tons of shine, helps fight frizz and doesn't weight down the hair, which makes it a great choice to use when you wear your hair curly and you fear your curls will drop if you apply a proper hair oil. It's more of a styling/shine product, since the argan oil content is minimal and it doesn't actually nourish the hair much, however, it's much better than your average shine spray because most of those have a high content of alcohol. This spray is actually just cheating healthy, shiny hair in a can. I can spray a ton of it on my hair and it doesn't weigh it down one bit, build up or make it oily, however, my hair is dry and thick. 
I've seen Fructis does the same thing, but they obviously had to put alcohol in it, what else.
6.99 € in Müller.


I will sneakily add this leave-in as well because you can get it for as little as 12.70 € on Beauty Bay and one bottle lasts me well over a year. A good leave-in conditioner makes all the change when you have dry hair. It injects an additional boots of moisture, it helps the hair stay hydrated longer and this one also helps fight frizz. Using this, I can easily use a drugstore conditioner without having my hair dry by the end of second day after washing it. I don't even have to resort to using oil every day on my ends. It's hands down the best leave-in conditioner I've tried and if you're worried it's heavy, it's actually just a very light liquid.

Other recommendations:
JOHN FRIEDA Frizz Ease Daily Miracle Leave-In Conditioner - recommended by Živa from Nothin' Fancy. Really.

Have a great day!
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Forever Repurchased #4


This is a very old favourite of mine. Actually I've repurchased it numerous times and there have been rare occasions that this wasn't in my conditioner stash. Currently, I have the 500 ml salon size with a pump that is super handy. It feels quite light, which is the total opposite of how I typically like my conditioners, however, despite that it is moisturising enough for my dry hair. There are two areas that this excels at -  shine and scent. It gives by far the best shine out drugstore conditioners I've tried, but keep in mind that this line was designed for brown hair and my hair is dark brown. The scent is divine, like a mix of coconut and caramel, but not sweet rather a bit more sophisticated blend. This is the only conditioner/mask after which my hair smells nice for days as normally my hair never retains the scent of the conditioner or shampoo I use for more than a few hours.


I've been using many other cleansers for the past few months and I haven't come round to repurchasing this just yet as I need to use up most of the stuff I have, but I must say that I miss this cleanser so much. This was the best cleanser I've ever used, I bought two in a row, which is very uncommon for me when it comes to cleansers, but that's what happens when you find the one. Unfortunately, it is not a budget cleanser, so I searched the drugstore ranks to find something similar and nothing comes close. My skin felt so good when I was using this and it looked its best. It's a balm cleanser which just feels so luxurious on the skin, though this one has small oatmeal scrub particles in it that provide a very gentle exfoliation. 


A standard in my bathroom. It's cheap, comes in many scents (though they are mostly limited editions) and the formula is superb. Basically, it's a gel that transforms into a thick foam that really sticks on the skin and provides enough slip to allow for a comfortable shave. Great stuff for the price . 


Ok, I know it's the Star version on the picture, but it doesn't matter because I'm referring to the Hypnose formula rather than different brushes. This is one of the rare formulas (one of two actually) that is capable of keeping my annoyingly stubborn eyelashes curled all day. It's also volumising and lengthening, so my lashes look so good with this. It's expensive, but well worth it if you have the same issues with keeping the lashes curled as me. 

Have a great day!
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Empties #5

This is surprisingly good for a drugstore conditioner and it's so affordable at only 2.45€ per bottle. I love the effect of it, the scent is nice and it moisturises my dry, coarse hair very well. My only real gripe is the packaging because when it's about to run out, you need Hercules' strength to get the rest of the product out (hence why mine in cut in the middle). I know there is a pot version available, which I'd prefer, but it's not sold in my country.
Repurchase: Yes.

An absolutely lovely conditioner that I have been repurchasing for years and have rarely been without a tube of this in my bathroom. In fact, I currently have a 500 ml bottle of this with a pump.
Repurchase: Yes.

(a.k.a. Dove Oil Care Nährplege 1 Minute Kur-Spülung)
I used up another one of these - I must have gone through at least a dozen tubes so far. This is one of my favourite drugstore treatments for dry hair. It's very thick, which I love, works great on my dry hair and it smells gorgeous. I recently bought the blue Intensive Repair version to try and it's nice as well, but I still prefer this one.
Repurchase: Yes.

Tigi Bed Head Masterpiece Massive Shine Hairspray
This was my only hairspray for years. I used to love it, but since I discovered Lee Stafford's Hold Tight, I find it a bit sticky from the start and doesn't hold as well as I would like. It can also feel a bit crispy, especially when you really go to town with it, while at Lee Stafford that doesn't happen to me. That being said, this is still a great hairspray and my second favourite. It smells like pineapples (like the (old) Dumb Blonde line), so obviously I like it. 
Repurchase: Probably not, only if Lee Stafford's Hold Tight gets discontinued.

L'Oreal Elvital Volume-Collagen Push-Up Spray
I actually bought this only for the packaging. I needed a better, preferably a spray bottle for Alpecin Medicinal Forte that needs to be applied on the scalp. The nozzle looks right, however, the I find it so hard to squeeze.
So on to the actual product. It's a volume spray that is supposed to be applied close to the the roots. It's a liquid that pretty much feels like water and can be used on damp or dry hair. Due to it's lightness, it doesn't weigh down the hair at all. I notice no additional volume, which is not surprising considering that it has no hold at all. It has a high alcohol content, which is never a good thing in my book, and it also contains sollutable collagen - in all honestly, I have no idea how collagen would be creating volume. It has a chemical scent that is nothing special nor does it last. There are far better volumising products.
Repurchase: No.

The Body Shop Coconut Oil Hair Shine
I wanted to like this, but I just can't. Though the ingredients are nice and there are no silicones, it feels too waxy. As a dry ends treatment on dry hair, it feels too heavy, waxy and it doesn't even give much of a shine. As a pre-wash treatment, it doesn't do much of anything either, particularly compared to proper coconut oil. This has a very hard consistency, especially if it's left in bellow 22°C degrees, so it's hard to scoop it out. You need to warm it up a lot between the hands and then it turns into a waxy oil. I place it on a radiator before use and it feels much more creamy, almost buttery and therefore easier to work with. It smells strongly like hazelnuts to me. The tin is nice and great for travel, I just wish there were a better product inside.
Repurchase: No.

Orofluido Shine Spray
It does what it's supposed to and nothing more. This is a typical shine spray with a high alcohol content as so many of them, though it didn't dry out my hair. As it's expected, it gives lot of shine, but doesn't weight down the hair. Orofluido packed it with their delightful fragrance, so I loved using it as a hair fragrance. It's nice, but I prefer Orofluido Sahara because it also provides care on top of shine (but it is much heavier than this). 
Repurchase: No, but it's nice for those whose hair gets weighted down by products and just want shine.

This is a very waxy feeling lip balm, but still moisturising, though you can feel how it mostly just coats the lips. This waxiness makes it less appropriate for wearing it under a lipstick. The scent is more of a honey and milk meet plastic and beeswax, but not in a bad way. 
Repurchase: No.

Labello Soft Rose Lip Balm
A very average lip balm, but one that a lot of people have/had and some really like it. It really doesn't stand out in any respect, neither the scent, colour or effect.
Repurchase: No.

Balea Sweet Wonderland Lip Balm
I used this only once and I'm tossing it. The scent is a weird, chocolate-chemical one, nothing like the yummy smelling shower gel from this LE. The texture and the moisturising power are below average.
Repurchase: No.

Yves Rocher Noix de Coco Malaysian Coconut Lip Balm
Apart from the scent, which is one of the best coconut scents I tried, it's just not worth it. It's not really moisturising and the packaging is very impractical. The opening is way to small, so the only way to get the product out is with a lip brush and I just can't be bothered. 
Repurchase: No.

Essence Matte Top Coat
I actually ended up using this a lot also as a base. It may sound odd to use it in such a way, but I like it because it dries in less than 10 seconds. The bottle didn't last me that long and what was left got completely unusable.
Repurchase: Not sure if they sell it any more, but I liked it.

Essence Profi-Nail File 4 in 1
I bought several of these so far. There are four different textures: one to trim, one to clean, one to smooth and one to polish the nails. I like it, it does what it's supposed to, does that well, and it's affordable. I still have one that I use all the time.
Repurchase: Not sure if they sell it any more, but I'm sure Essence has a similar one and I will purchase that one.

Have a great day!
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New In #10

My first solid cleansing balm and I absolutely love it. The scent is so weird, but the texture is perfect and after a month of use my skin looks great. Just to warn you, they only offer a 30 ml pot and that is why I bought it, to dip my toes into the solid balms pool first. This small pot costs 10€, but after a month I still have about a half, maybe a bit less left. I'll do a proper review.

I was on a search for a dark berry matte lip cream and though this isn't matte, it's the perfect colour. This is such a great autumn/winter shade that will appeal to fans of deep colours such as Kate's matte lipstick in 107. Review with swatches will be posted soon.
It cost 7.49€ on Feel Unique. You can find a review and swatches of another shade called Stellar here.

I needed a lip liner to match Rimmel's 107 and this looked closest on swatches I found online. It's not the prettiest colour as it is too brown for my liking, but it works nonetheless. Again, swatches will be posted.
 It cost 3.74€ on Feel Unique.

I got this as a gift in December from my cousin (thank you) after it was on my wishlist for over a year. It's a stunning, brightened pinky-coral that is in the same colour family as Bourjois' Fraise Remix and Maybelline's Shocking Coral. I also love wearing it as a stain (I'm wearing it like that here). The quality is, as expected, excellent. There will be a full review of this.

L'Oréal Super Liner Perfect Slim Intense Black
I just got it and I already love it. Talk about precision - this eyeliner has such a thin and fine felt tip that allows me to draw the thinnest line if I want to. The formula is super black and it lasts all day on the lids without smudging or fading. It's very similar to the L'Oreal's Super Liner Carbon Gloss eyeliner, but with a matte finish and a more precise applicator. My one concern is how long will it take to dry out. I'll do a proper review and report about that after a couple of months of use.
It was 7.86€ on Feel Unique. This isn't sold in Slovenia (Obviously. I wonder what pathetic excuse they have this time).

Since I was seriously impressed by the Think Pink shade, I got another more neutral one. It's less pigmented, but still such a lovely blush. I'll post swatches, but you can find a review for Think Pink here.
These cost 3.79€ in Müller.

One of the lipsticks that is about to be discontinued. I already reviewed it here.

Essence Pure Skin Purifying Nose Strips
Years ago I tried the Nivea's version and apart from the feeling of ripping your face off, I found them useless. I heard some good things about these strips from Taya, so I decided to give them a go. The principle is the same - you stick them on clean, wet skin and leave them to work for 10-15 minutes before removing them. They smell weird, like that red stick glue everyone had in school (Pritt, I hated it). The instructions say to re-wet the strips before peeling them off, but instead of pulling the blackheads out, it separates and leaves sticky blue goo on the skin that needs to be washed off. In terms of results, I didn't notice any effect at all.
They cost 1.89€ for three nose strips in a pack.

I finally got this after one pot got lost in the mail the first time I ordered it. I haven't tried it yet, but the pot is only 3/4 full. I used to use the old Oatmeal & Honey shampoo and conditioner (I was buying the 750 ml sizes) and they were some of my favourite hair products. They were repackaged as well as reformulated (I heard for the worse. For shame!) and they added the mask, but as far as I can tell so far at least the scent is still the same. It smells like Christmas - gingerbread, cinnamon, honey and clove. I'll do a review when I test it out properly.
I paid 13.08€ for 200g on Feel Unique.

John Frieda Brilliant Brunette Hydrating Conditioner
My standard repurchase, but this time I went for a salon size 500ml that comes with a pump. My review is here.
It was 11.24€ on Feel Unique, which is a bargain.

Dove Intensiv Reparatur 1 Minute Kür-Spülung a.k.a. Intensive Repair
I've used up most of my conditioners this month, among them Dove's Oil Care mask that I've repurchased numerous times. This time I decided to try the blue version for a change. It's a bit lighter than the gold one and it also doesn't have the two colour "toothpaste" look, yet it's still a thick and creamy treatment. It has similar results, maybe it's a touch less moisturising, but it really is a minute difference. It has the typical Dove-ish scent, though I find the gold version smells better. It's a great drugstore treatment, though I'll stick with the Oil Care one, but if they didn't have it in stock, I wouldn't dismiss the blue one.
It cost the same as the other one, 3.99€, in Müller.

Joico K-Pack Intense Hydrator
Another repurchase. This is my favourite conditioner ever (and as that featured on my All-Time Favourites page). The texture is creamy and it has a bit of an odd scent that is difficult to describe in any other way than chemical. It truly hydrates the hair and I can feel it when I'm rinsing it off that it's not just that silicone coat. The current colder conditions along with the central heating being on all the time are causing my hair being even drier than usual and this does the job of keeping it moisturised, especially the ends don't dry out as fast.
It's not the cheapest hair product at 20€ for 250 ml, but if you have really dry hair, give it a go.

Herbalife Hand and Body Gel 
I have this in a generous 50 ml sample size that I got for Christmas. It's a very creamy shower gel/hand wash that foams nicely despite being SLS free and smells like fresh apples. The texture reminds me of Dove showel gels, but more gel like. It's quite nice actually, just don't ask where you can get this because I haven't got the foggiest.

La Petit Marseiliais Peche Blanche & Nectarine
As a fan of anything peach scented, I couldn't resist grabbing this in E. Leclerc despite the very retro packaging. It's supposed to be for dry skin, but I think the formula is too thin and not particularly moisturising. It smells like fresh nectarines from the bottle and under the shower it develops a slight artificial sweet note along side the nectarine. If you like peaches and nectarines, this is nice.
It was a bit over 2€.

Rexona Clear Pure Crystal Dry Deo Stick
I've never repurchased a deodorant in my life and I'm not sure if I had this before, but it smells so familiar. I immediately liked it. It smells great (fruity), but not overpowering and has a nice texture. I works for me and keeps BO at bay, but I don't sweet much. One thing that does bother me is that it leaves white marks.
It was about 2€.

Nyx Butter Gloss
I got these as a gift for my cousin. I didn't try or swatch them, but I did snap a few photos before giving them to her (she doesn't mind). The three colours are Peaches and Cream, Apple Strudel and Maple Blondie. I saw them swatched on my cousin's hand and they all look pretty much the same to me, especially if taken into consideration that they are glosses. I was updated that they are really good and smell amazing.
I got them on Cherry Culture.

Have a great day!
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